Vital Records, Chenango County, NY, November 1871

 Chenango Union, Norwich, NY, November 1, 1871

Marriages

SHUMWAY - GRAVES:  At the residence of the bride's father, in Guilford [Chenango Co. NY], Oct. 25th, by Rev. McK. Shaw, Mr. Charles Shumway, of Norwich [Chenango Co. NY], to Miss Emma Graves, daughter of C.S. Graves.

Mt. Upton [Chenango Co. NY]:  Quite a crowd collected at the station at Latham's Cornes on Wednesday the 25th to witness the departure of C.L. Shumway, Esq. of Norwich, with his fair young bride.  The bride was prettily and tastefully dressed, and was of course the center of attraction, while the gentlemanly bridegroom bore his honors well.  [Chenango Telegraph, Norwich, NY, nov. 1, 1871]

BUSHNELL - CLINTON:  At the American Hotel, in this village [Norwich, Chenango Co. NY], Oct. 24th, by Rev. H. Wheeler, Mr. Frank Bushnell to Miss Georgie Clinton, both of Butternuts, N.Y. [Otsego Co.]

NILES - PARTRIDGE:  In Cazenovia [Madison Co. NY], Oct. 16th, by Rev. John C. Ward, Mr. Allen Niles, of Lebanon [Madison Co. NY], to Mrs. Barnaby Partridge of Smyrna [Chenango Co. NY].

Mt. Upton [Chenango Co. NY]:  Mr. & Mrs. Wm. S. Moore celebrated the fifth anniversary of their marriage, by a wooden wedding on the third of October.  It was a very pleasant affair.

Deaths

HOUSE:  In this village [Norwich, Chenango Co. NY], Oct. 23d, Hiram Lamottie House, aged 2 years, 9 months and 19 days.

CHAMBERLAIN:  In South New Berlin [Chenango Co. NY], Oct. 10th, Esther [Chamberlain], wife of Rev. J.H. Chamberlain.

WOODWARD:  In Smyrna [Chenango Co. NY], Oct. 16th, of paralysis, Jedediah Woodward, Esq., aged 73 years.

TICKNER:  In Smithville [Chenango Co. NY] Oct. 21st, Mrs. Mahala Tickner aged 57 years.

It is feared that Rev. J.T. Goodrich, formerly pastor of the Universalist Church in Oxford [Chenango Co. NY], met with his death at the late Chicago fire.  His family are visiting friends in Guilford; and knowing that he was to be in Chicago about the time the conflagration occurred, he being engaged in business connected with the Chenango Silver Mining Company of Colorado, and not receiving ay tidings from him since, his family and friends naturally became alarmed.  Mr. Bradley, a relative, has visited Chicago, and learned that Mr. Goodrich had stopped at one of the hotels on the afternoon previous to the fire, his name appearing upon the register, with bill unpaid.  The hotel was burned, but it is thought that the inmates escaped.  Mr. G. had quite an amount of money upon his person, and may have escaped from the burning building, to fall into the clutches of the bands of robbers who infested the streets on that terrible night.  The distressed family have the sympathies of the entire community.

GRISWOLD:  In Bainbridge [Chenango Co. NY], Oct. 23d, Richard Griswold, M.D., in the 76th year of his age.  

It is with sadness that we record the death of Richard Griswold, who departed this life last Monday afternoon, at the ripe age of 76 years.  Thus, has another of the landmarks been removed from the pathway of life.  Mr. Griswold came to Bainbridge from Cairo, Greene County, in 1816.  Soon after he was joined in marriage to Miss Lydia Newell, daughter of Thomas Newell.  He was the father of ten children - five boys and five girls - seven of whom are yet living.  For more than half a century Mr. Griswold has trod our streets and been known among the active businessmen of Bainbridge.  What changes he has witnessed on these grounds, but few remain behind to relate.  Bainbridge, from a little hamlet, grew to a vigorous business center, died and sank to rest in its former quietude, and has again returned to life and business strength never before known to its inhabitants.  Many are the enterprises which have stirred her people in all these years - his life - and but few could more faithfully detail the incidents in the history of Bainbridge than he.  Bainbridge Review

Chenango Telegraph, Norwich, NY, November 1, 1871

Death

The brief announcement of the death of Judge Wheeler in the columns of the Telegraph, was a painful surprise to his many friends, and a more extended notice of the life and death of one who was an honor to old Chenango, seems fitting.  Ezekiel Wheeler, grandfather of Judge Wheeler, was one of the first settlers of the Unadilla Valley.  Here Ezra Wheeler was born, and in the schoolhouse, at old Union, near his home, he received the first rudiments of his education.  He attended the Oxford Academy in '39 and '40 and was so far advanced in his studies that he entered Union College, Schenectady, in 1841, two years in advance.  He graduated from this college with high honors, and entered upon the profession of law, which he ennobled.  He was emphatically an honest lawyer.  He chose Berlin, Wisconsin, for his home, and won the respect and esteem of his townsmen, which was shown by electing him to the highest offices in their power.  He was a member of the 38th Congress, and here the sterling honesty of his character showed itself in a way which, although it cost hm his standing as a Democrat, is yet an honor to his memory.  In a vote for the extinction of slavery he, with three other noble Democrats, who could neither be bribed or bought, voted with the Republican party.  He is beyond the reach of praise or blame, but it is refreshing to look at the example of an honest politician, who was true to his conviction of right.  The roll of honor reads thus:  Ezra Wheeler, John A. Griswold, Moses F. Odell, Joseph Bailey.  For several months previous to death, Judge Wheeler resided at Puebla, Colorado, where he had gone for his health.  His wife was with him the last few weeks of his life, and such was the nature of the disease, Consumption, that he kept up strength and courage till the last.  In the place where he spent the best part of his life, Berlin, Wisconsin, his memory is precious.  He is spoken of as the honest lawyer and although his talents made him eminently successful in his profession, he often engaged in the higher office of peacemaker, although his pecuniary interests might suffer thereby.  peace to his memory.  E.J. Richmond

Oxford Times, Oxford, NY, November 1, 1871

Deaths

The Late Judge Wheeler:  Those who were residents of Oxford [Chenango Co. NY], in 1840, especially those who were students in the Academy at that time, will remember a pale, slender young man, with a high broad forehead, and independent bearing, who was the student, in that large and flourishing school.  This was the last year young Wheeler spent in Oxford.  From there he went to Union College, Schenectady, which he entered two years in advance.

He graduated from Union with high honors, and then turned his steps westward, where he found a home in Berlin, Wis., and where his family still reside.  He was a Lawyer by profession, that noblest work of God, an honest lawyer.  Instances are related now, where he reconciled quarrels and prevented lawsuits, by which he might have pocketed hundreds of dollars.  Dr. A.H. Guernsey, who has recently visited his old home in Chenango County, related an occurrence of this kind, which came under his observation.  An irate old gentleman came rushing into the judge's office in a state of high excitement, and offered him fifty dollars as a retainer fee, in a suit which he was about to commence against the firm of A.B. & Co.  "I thought they were very honorable men," said the Judge.  "So they always have been," said the man.  "I've had thousands of dollars of deal with them, but now they have failed to fulfill their contract, and it's damaged me one thousand dollars, and I'll be revenged!"  Judge Wheeler wrote a kind letter to the firm, stating the case, and received an immediate answer, thanking their old friend for his forbearance.  They assured him that the failure was more of a disappointment to them, than to him, and they were ready to pay all damages.  The old friend was a good deal ashamed and thanked the judge for his management of the matter, and "what is your fee!? he asked.  "Five dollars," was the reply.

Judge Wheeler's sterling honesty was so highly appreciated, that after filling many offices of trust, he was sent as representative to the 38th Congress, but here his noble trait stood in the way of his popularity.  Although a democrat, he believed Slavery to be the great curse of the nation, and voted with three other democrats, and with the entire Republican party for its extinction.  This roll of hoor should be remembered now that slavery is no more.  Joseph Bailey, John A. Griswold, Moses T. Odell, Ezra Wheeler.

The bad ventilation of the room in which the House of Representatives meets, perhaps sowed the seeds of the disease, consumption, of which he died. The last few months of his life were spent in Puebla, Colorado, where he had gone hoping that the climate might restore him to health.  The grandfather of Judge Wheeler was one of the first settlers of Guilford.  His home was in the Unadilla valley, near Mt. Upton, where the judge was born, and where his aged mother and several of his near relatives till reside.  E.J. R.

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Guilford, Oct. 28th, 1871:  Mr. Editor:  You mentioned in your last issue the fears entertained by the family of Rev. J.T. Goodrich regarding his safety, knowing he was in Chicago at the time of the conflagration.  His many friends in this vicinity, and elsewhere, will be pained to learn that no trace can be found of the missing man.  Permission has been given us by the afflicted family, to give you the few facts of this sad event, which have been gathered from weary search in the doomed city.

Aaren Bradley, a brother-in-law of Mr. Goodrich, went to Chicago Oct. 18th, where he was joined by J.C. Goodrich, a son of the unfortunate man, and a most thorough search was made.  All hospitals, asylums, and every conceivable place of refuge were diligently searched, but all to no purpose, except to elicit the following facts:

The clerk of the Metropolitan Hotel was found and produced the register of the Hotel, which he preserved, from which was ascertained that Mr. Goodrich arrived at the Metropolitan on the evening of the 5th of October and engaged board and a suite of rooms for an indefinite period, expecting to remain several weeks, as his family knew.  On Saturday evening, Oct. 7th, several gentlemen, friends of his met in his rooms for purposes of business.  On Sunday, he attended Dr. King's church; but was known to have been in his room up to the hour of retiring.  This was the last seen of him. the Hotel caught fire about 3 o'clock A.M. of Monday.

Dr. Smith of Chicago, an intimate friend of Mr. G. had an appointment with him for Monday.  He gives it as his belief that he perished in the flames.

A large number of business letters, papers, etc., intended for Mr. G. remained unclaimed.

All are of the opinion that he has met his untimely death in this terrible, heart-rending manner.  Mrs. Goodrich is in Guilford with her friends and has the warmest sympathy of the entire community in this terrible trial.

Chenango American, Greene, NY, November 2, 1871

Death

In this village [Greene, Chenango Co. NY], suddenly, Oct. 29th, Mr. Frederick Terwilliger, aged 84 years.

Mr. Terwilliger was one of our earliest pioneer settlers.  he came into this town with his father as early as 1800.  His father, Solomon Terwilliger, settled in the southwest corner of the town.  In early manhood the deceased located himself on the east side of the Chenango, four miles below this village, where he has resided until within the last few years, when he became a resident with his son in this village.  He has ever been an industrious and useful man, and in all the relations of life has sustained an unblemished reputation.  Thus, one after another our early settlers are passing from the scenes of their usefulness and leaving the wilderness they entered fertile fields to their descendants.  Let us revere their heroic virtues, and endeavor to imitate their example.